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The one with the cookbook

While working yesterday, the mailman came. 

Yup. That's the sentence I decided to start this post off with. Exciting, right?  

Well, what's even more exciting is that he had a package for me. 

I opened the package and I immediately became choked up. In my little cubicle, while trying to get a press release out, I just sat at my desk and could barely move. 

Inside was a custom made cookbook that contained recipes not only from one person, but many. 

Recipes from my grandmothers, my aunts, my dear friends....

Recipes from people who have never met each other- but they all know me. 

Recipes from my grandmothers that are family favorites. The ones we have when all our family is together. Seeing my grandmothers handwriting on those recipe cards.  Knowing how difficult it was for my grandma Scheatzle to write those out as she has MS. But seeing the handwriting I know and love. 

Recipes from friends whose kitchens I've been in and had great meals with. And along with a great meal comes great conversation. At least at my table it does!

Recipes from the great Chef LeAnn!

Recipes from a former coworker turned dearest friend. Whose kitchen I've visited on numerous occasions while being with her and her 3 babies. And not only her- but her mom too!

So after the fire, I had several people asking "What do you need? How can we help?" 

And honestly, I didn't know. I didn't know what I needed or how people could help.

And I wouldn't have asked for anything. But while talking to my friend Laura, I did come up with something. I KNEW I could ask for this and not feel bad about asking.  I asked for help rebuilding my recipe collection. 

To think about the cabinet that held my cookbooks and recipes....well. That's just one thing I can't think about. I can't allow myself to think about. So many handwritten recipes I'd kept and stowed away. Some of them so dirty because I've used them so many times that ingredients just happened to be spilled or splashed on them. Yeah. So when people ask me today how I'm doing since the fire, I really am doing fine. I'm good. I really am. But there are still some things I remember I lost and I just have to move on and stop thinking about it. It hurts too much. 

So I asked Laura to help gather recipes for me. 

And help, she did. 

Wayyyyyy beyond what I could have asked for or imagined. 

And it came in the mail yesterday. 

Here are a few pics of the amazing gift:





So I will end this post as Laura ended her letter to my friends when asking for recipes:

Thank you for extending your heart, your hand, and your kitchen. I am so grateful. 


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